Asia-Pacific ends Cannes on a quieter note

CANNES: After a strong showing in the print and outdoor categories, Asia-Pacific’s week at Cannes has ended on a more subdued note, with the region picking up a Grand Prix For Good, and a haul of Lions in the film, film craft, and creative effectiveness categories.

The Grand Prix for Good, which honours advertisements for charities and NGOs that are not eligible for Grand Prix in other categories, went to Scope’s “See the person” disability awareness commercial. Shot by Leo Burnett Melbourne Australia, the TVC appears to be an ordinary music video until the spotlights review that five out of six members of the band, named Rudely Interrupted, have disabilities.

The gold film Lions went to Celemenger BBDO Melbourne’s ‘Slo mo’ ad for the Fosters Group’s Carlton Draught, Colenso BBDO Auckland’s ‘Rear view girls’ for Levi Strauss’ Curve ID Jeans, and Drill Tokyo’s spot, ‘Xylophone’, for NTT Docomo. ‘Xylophone’ also won Drill Tokyo a gold Lion in the film craft category for its sound design.

India earned a gold Lion for ‘Best use of music’ in the film craft category with Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai’s commercial for the Ministry of Railway.

BBDO India Mumbai took home a creative effectiveness Lion for its ‘W.A.LS. - Women Against Lazy Stubble’ campaign on behalf of Procter & Gamble’s Gilette Mach3. The region’s other creative effectiveness Lion went to Colenso BBDO Auckland for its work promoting ‘‘The Pacific’ on behalf of TVNZ.

There were few surprises among the major global prizes at this year’s festival. WPP won the inagural ‘Holding company of the year’ award, followed by Omnicom and Publicis Groupe. The coveted ‘Advertising agency of the year’ prize went to Almap BBDO Sao Paulo and ‘Independent agency of the year’ went to Wieden+Kennedy Portland. BBDO took home the ‘Network of the year’ award and Smuggler USA won The Palme d’Or for the most awarded production company.

A second inaugural ward, the Lion of St Mark trophy, which is awarded in celebration and honour of an individual’s long and outstanding contribution to creativity in communications, was presented to Sir John Hegerty, co-founder of creative agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty.